13082 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 21, 2024 / Notices 

preventive measures to mitigate the 

impact of such outages on the Nation 

and the American public. 

Mandatory submarine cable outage 

data provides the Commission with 

greater visibility into the availability 

and health of these networks, allowing 

the Commission to better track and 

analyze submarine cable resiliency. This 

enhanced visibility into submarine 

cable network outages will allow the 

Commission to take appropriate actions 

to mitigate disruptions, if necessary, and 

to avoid the development of larger, more 

significant problems which could 

impact national security and public 

safety interests. Submarine cable 

outages do not typically occur with the 

same frequency as terrestrial outages, 

but when they do occur have a greater 

impact on the Nation’s 

telecommunications due to the volume 

and nature of communications carried 

over such cables. Damages to submarine 

cables are usually caused by weather or 

inadvertent slicing by underseas 

equipment. However, submarine cables 

are also susceptible to intentional 

damage for nefarious purposes that 

could lead to a severe degradation of 

crucial government, as well as nongovernment, communications. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary, Office of the Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03447 Filed 2–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FR ID: 203054] 

Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of a new matching 

program. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Privacy Act of 1974, as amended 

(‘‘Privacy Act’’), this document 

announces a new computer matching 

program the Federal Communications 

Commission (‘‘FCC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’ 

or ‘‘Agency’’) and the Universal Service 

Administrative Company (USAC) will 

conduct with the Iowa Department of 

Health and Human Services. The 

purpose of this matching program is to 

verify the eligibility of applicants to and 

subscribers of Lifeline, and the 

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 

both of which are administered by 

USAC under the direction of the FCC. 

More information about these programs 

is provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section below. 

DATES: Written comments are due on or 

before March 22, 2024. This computer 

matching program will commence on 

March 22, 2024, and will conclude 18 

months after the effective date. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Elliot S. 

Tarloff, FCC, 45 L Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20554, or to Privacy@

fcc.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elliot S. Tarloff at 202–418–0886 or 

Privacy@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Lifeline program provides support for 

discounted broadband and voice 

services to low-income consumers. 

Lifeline is administered by the 

Universal Service Administrative 

Company (USAC) under FCC direction. 

Consumers qualify for Lifeline through 

proof of income or participation in a 

qualifying program, such as Medicaid, 

the Supplemental Nutritional 

Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal 

Public Housing Assistance, 

Supplemental Security Income (SSI), 

Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, 

or various Tribal-specific federal 

assistance programs. 

In the Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, 2021, Public Law 116–260, 134 

Stat. 1182, 2129–36 (2020), Congress 

created the Emergency Broadband 

Benefit Program, and directed use of the 

National Verifier to determine eligibility 

based on various criteria, including the 

qualifications for Lifeline (Medicaid, 

SNAP, etc.). EBBP provided $3.2 billion 

in monthly consumer discounts for 

broadband service and one-time 

provider reimbursement for a connected 

device (laptop, desktop computer or 

tablet). In the Infrastructure Investment 

and Jobs Act, Public Law 117–58, 135 

Stat. 429, 1238–44 (2021) (codified at 47 

U.S.C. 1751–52), Congress modified and 

extended EBBP, provided an additional 

$14.2 billion, and renamed it the 

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). 

A household may qualify for the ACP 

benefit under various criteria, including 

an individual qualifying for the FCC’s 

Lifeline program. 

In a Report and Order adopted on 

March 31, 2016, (81 FR 33026, May 24, 

2016) (2016 Lifeline Modernization 

Order), the Commission ordered USAC 

to create a National Lifeline Eligibility 

Verifier (‘‘National Verifier’’), including 

the National Lifeline Eligibility Database 

(LED), that would match data about 

Lifeline applicants and subscribers with 

other data sources to verify the 

eligibility of an applicant or subscriber. 

The Commission found that the 

National Verifier would reduce 

compliance costs for Lifeline service 

providers, improve service for Lifeline 

subscribers, and reduce waste, fraud, 

and abuse in the program. 

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 

of 2021 directs the FCC to leverage the 

National Verifier to verify applicants’ 

eligibility for ACP. The purpose of this 

matching program is to verify the 

eligibility of Lifeline and ACP 

applicants and subscribers by 

determining whether they receive SNAP 

benefits administered by the Iowa 

Department of Health and Human 

Services. 

Participating Agencies 

Iowa Department of Health and 

Human Services (source agency); 

Federal Communications Commission 

(recipient agency) and Universal Service 

Administrative Company. 

Authority for Conducting the Matching 

Program 

The authority to conduct the 

matching program for the FCC’s ACP is 

47 U.S.C. 1752(a)–(b). The authority to 

conduct the matching program for the 

FCC’s Lifeline program is 47 U.S.C. 

254(a)–(c), (j). 

Purpose(s) 

The purpose of this new matching 

agreement is to verify the eligibility of 

applicants and subscribers to Lifeline, 

as well as to ACP and other Federal 

programs that use qualification for 

Lifeline as an eligibility criterion. This 

new agreement will permit eligibility 

verification for the Lifeline program and 

ACP by checking an applicant’s/ 

subscriber’s participation in SNAP in 

Iowa. Under FCC rules, consumers 

receiving these benefits qualify for 

Lifeline discounts and also for ACP 

benefits. 

Categories of Individuals 

The categories of individuals whose 

information is involved in the matching 

program include, but are not limited to, 

those individuals who have applied for 

Lifeline and/or ACP benefits; are 

currently receiving Lifeline and/or ACP 

benefits; are individuals who enable 

another individual in their household to 

qualify for Lifeline and/or ACP benefits; 

are minors whose status qualifies a 

parent or guardian for Lifeline and/or 

ACP benefits; or are individuals who 

have received Lifeline and/or ACP 

benefits. 

Categories of Records 

The categories of records involved in 

the matching program include, but are 

not limited to, the last four digits of the 

applicant’s Social Security Number, 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 21, 2024 / Notices 13083 

date of birth, and last name. The 

National Verifier will transfer these data 

elements to the Iowa Department of 

Health and Human Services which will 

respond either ‘‘yes’’ or ‘‘no’’ that the 

individual is enrolled in a qualifying 

assistance program: SNAP administered 

by the Iowa Department of Health and 

Human Services. 

System(s) of Records 

The records shared as part of this 

matching program reside in the Lifeline 

system of records, FCC/WCB–1, 

Lifeline, which was published in the 

Federal Register at 86 FR 11526 (Feb. 

25, 2021). 

The records shared as part of this 

matching program reside in the ACP 

system of records, FCC/WCB–3, 

Affordable Connectivity Program, which 

was published in the Federal Register at 

86 FR 71494 (Dec. 16, 2021). 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03444 Filed 2–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FR ID 203614] 

Deletion of Item From February 15, 

2024 Open Meeting 

The following items were adopted by 

the Commission on February 13, 2024 

and deleted from the list of items 

scheduled for consideration at the 

Thursday, February 15, 2024, Open 

Meeting. The items were previously 

listed in the Commission’s Sunshine 

Notice on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. 

Item No. Bureau Subject 

5 ........................ MEDIA .............. Title: Restricted Adjudicatory Matter. 

Summary: The Commission will consider a restricted adjudicatory matter from the Media Bureau. 

6 ........................ ENFORCEMENT.Title: Enforcement Bureau Action. 

Summary: The Commission will consider an enforcement action. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Dated: February 13, 2024. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03445 Filed 2–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION 

[Docket No. 24–05] 

Notice of Filing of Complaint and 

Assignment; Impact Products, LLC 

and Safety Zone, LLC, Complainants, 

v. Mediterranean Shipping Company, 

S.A., Respondent 

Served: February 14, 2024. 

Notice is given that a complaint has 

been filed with the Federal Maritime 

Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) by 

Impact Products, LLC and Safety Zone, 

LLC (the ‘‘Complainants’’) against 

Mediterranean Shipping Company, S.A. 

(the ‘‘Respondent’’). Complainants state 

that the Commission has jurisdiction 

over the complaint pursuant to 46 

U.S.C. 41301 through 41309 and 

personal jurisdiction over the 

Respondent as an ocean common 

carrier, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

40102(18), that has entered into a 

service contract, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

40102(21), with the Complainants. 

Complainant Impact Products, LLC is 

a corporation located in Toledo, Ohio. 

Complainant Safety Zone, LLC is a 

corporation located in Guilford, 

Connecticut. Complainants are shippers 

as this term is defined under 46 U.S.C. 

40102(23). 

Complainants identify Respondent as 

a company existing under the laws of 

Switzerland with its headquarters 

located in Geneva, Switzerland and as a 

global ocean carrier. 

Complainants allege that Respondent 

violated 46 U.S.C. 41102(c) and 

41104(a)(10) and 46 CFR 545.5. 

Complainants allege these violations 

arose from assessment of demurrage, 

detention, per diem, and yard storage 

charges during periods of time in which 

the charges were not just or reasonable 

because of circumstances outside the 

control of the Complainants and its 

agents and service providers, and from 

the acts or omissions of the Respondent 

that led to the assessment of these 

charges. 

An answer to the complaint must be 

filed with the Commission within 25 

days after the date of service. 

The full text of the complaint can be 

found in the Commission’s electronic 

Reading Room at https://www2.fmc.gov/ 

readingroom/proceeding/24-05/. This 

proceeding has been assigned to the 

Office of Administrative Law Judges. 

The initial decision of the presiding 

judge shall be issued by February 14, 

2025, and the final decision of the 

Commission shall be issued by August 

29, 2025. 

David Eng, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03508 Filed 2–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6730–02–P 

FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION 

[Docket No. 24–10] 

Impact Products, LLC and Safety Zone, 

LLC, Complainants v. Yang Ming 

Marine Transport Corp. Respondent; 

Notice of Filing of Complaint and 

Assignment 

Served: February 14, 2024. 

Notice is given that a complaint has 

been filed with the Federal Maritime 

Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) by 

Impact Products, LLC and Safety Zone, 

LLC (the ‘‘Complainants’’) against Yang 

Ming Marine Transport Corp. (the 

‘‘Respondent’’). Complainants state that 

the Commission has jurisdiction over 

the complaint pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 

41301 through 41309 and personal 

jurisdiction over the Respondent as an 

ocean common carrier, as defined in 46 

U.S.C. 40102(18), that has entered into 

a service contract, as defined in 46 

U.S.C. 40102(21), with the 

Complainants. Complainant Impact 

Products, LLC is a corporation located 

in Toledo, Ohio. Complainant Safety 

Zone, LLC is a corporation located in 

Guilford, Connecticut. Complainants are 

shippers as this term is defined under 

46 U.S.C. 40102(23). 

Complainants identify Respondent as 

a company existing under the laws of 

Taiwan with a principal place of 

business in Keelung, Taiwan and as a 

global ocean carrier. Complainants 

allege that Respondent violated 46 

U.S.C. 41102(c) and 41104(a)(10) and 46 

CFR 545.5. Complainants allege these 

violations arose from assessment of 

demurrage, detention, per diem, and 

yard storage charges during periods of 

time in which the charges were not just 

or reasonable because of circumstances 


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